According to the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic defense ministry, the settlement of Yasinovataya is shelled by the Ukrainian forces almost every day

MOSCOW, July 30. /TASS/. A total of 28 civilians have died in shellings by the Ukrainian forces since the beginning of 2015 in the settlement of Yasinovataya, the Dontesk city administration told Donetsk News Agency said on Thursday.

"Fifteen people died [in shellings] from January until June 2015 — they are those who underwent forensic examination in Yasinovataya," the city administration said adding that at least 13 more bodies were taken for forensic examination to Donetsk.

A total of 47 people were injured in shellings since the beginning of 2015, the administration said. "Hospitals in Yasinovataya and Donetsk provided urgent medical assistance to those injured," the local authorities added.

According to the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) defense ministry, the settlement of Yasinovataya is shelled by the Ukrainian forces almost every day.

Minsk agreements on Ukraine

Ceasefire is envisaged by the Minsk agreements on Ukraine. The Minsk accords were signed on February 12, after negotiations in the so-called "Normandy format" in the Belarusian capital Minsk, bringing together Russian President Vladimir Putin, French President Francois Hollande, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.

The Minsk accords also envisage weaponry withdrawal, prisoner exchange, local elections in Donbas, constitutional reform in Ukraine and establishing working sub-groups on security, political, economy and humanitarian components of the Minsk accords.

The Ukrainian forces and the self-defense forces of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk republics have repeatedly accused each other of violating ceasefire and other points of the Minsk agreements.

Weaponry withdrawal

On July 18, the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk republics (DPR and LPR) announced their plans to unilaterally withdraw heavy weaponry from the contact line.

DPR announced last week that it completed the withdrawal of weaponry of less than 100mm caliber from the contact line, leaving tanks only in "hot spots" to the north of Donetsk and in Debaltseve. LPR also completed the withdrawal of weaponry from the contact line, leaving tanks and armored vehicles only on positions near the Schastye settlement.

On July 21, the Contact Group on Ukrainian settlement reached an agreement on gradual withdrawal of weaponry of less than 100mm caliber by both sides.